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Unglycosylated Mtaa expresses an Mtab-like determinant

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Abstract

Antigenic polymorphism of the class I-like maternally transmitted antigen (Mta) is controlled by a maternally transmitted factor (Mtf) thought to reside in mitochondria. However, the mechanisms by which Mtf generates antigenic polymorphism are not known. To address this issue, we investigated a possible role of post-translational oligosaccharide addition in the formation of Mta determinants. We examined the expression of Mta on cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) target cells cultured in tunicamycin (TM), a known inhibitor of asparagine(N)-linked glycosylation. Of 18 Mtab-specific CTL lines, 8 lysed TM-treated Mtaa targets. Furthermore, a subclone of one of these eight lines, 17D5.G2, lysed TM-treated targets from all Mtaa strains tested, regardless of H-2K/D haplotype. On the other hand, this CTL clone did not lyse TM-treated target cells from the Mta null, but H-2 expressing strain B10. CAS2. Therefore expression of this Mtab-like determinant is concordant with the expression of Mtaa and seems unlikely to represent a cross-reactive H-2K/D epitope. Our data suggest that an Mtab-like determinant is expressed on unglycosylated Mtaa molecules. Thus, N-linked oligosaccharides probably prevent the expression of an Mtab-like determinant on the Mtaa molecule. We discuss how Mtf may contribute to Mta polymorphism through glycosylation.

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Abbreviations

CAB:

Con A blast

CML:

cell-mediated lympholysis

Con A:

concanavalin A

CTL:

cytotoxic T lymphocyte

DMEM:

Dulbecco's modified minimum essential medium

FCS:

fetal calf serum

IL-2:

interleukin-2

LPS:

lipopolysaccharide

mAb:

monoclonal antibody

MLC:

mixed leukocyte culture

mMDM:

modified Mishell-Dutton medium

Mta:

maternally transmitted antigen

NK:

natural killer

sMDM:

supplemented Mishell-Dutton medium

TM:

tunicamycin

β 2m:

beta-2 microglobulin

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Howard Hughes Medical Institute Laboratory and the Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, and Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 77030, Houston, TX, USA

    Aaron C. Han, John R. Rodgers & Robert R. Rich

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  1. Aaron C. Han
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  2. John R. Rodgers
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  3. Robert R. Rich
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Han, A.C., Rodgers, J.R. & Rich, R.R. Unglycosylated Mtaa expresses an Mtab-like determinant. Immunogenetics 25, 234–240 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00404693

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00404693

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